stillborn babies mouths look black is this true ? covering the sensitive topic of preparing your self for what a stillborn baby will looks like after delivery. and  related questions about stillborn babies condition at birth .

When a mum and dad have just found out at a regular scan appointment that baby has sadly died in the womb this is where baby will be born stillborn no heart beat at birth. Sometimes there is no time to prepare really emotionally for what you are likely to face in terms of baby’s condition.  When a newborn is baby born baby may have  a bluish tinge until the umbilical corn is cut, baby takes its first breath and starts to pink up, it is no longer attached to the placenta inside mum and this is when babys organs start working unaided.

when baby is born stillborn its a total different situation. When a babys heart stops beating the body goes through different stages before its starts to change known as “decomposition”.depending when baby dies in the womb determines the condition of baby’s outward appearance when you see it in the outside for the first time .Due to fact baby is in the amniotic sac in the mothers womb means some changes will not happen as fast until it comes into contact with air and the surrounding environment.

As the midwives and delivery team exampine the bay after delivery it can be noted the time of death due to changes in the skin.

• stillborn baby passed away 4-6 hours before birth the baby’s skin as a wrinkly look like when you’ve spent too much time in the bath. baby’s lips may be very dark cherry red looking or black. depending how baby died effects the lips especially after a cord accident causing asphyxia. Blood can settle in lower regions of the baby’s body causing a bruising type appearance in the skin.
• if baby died 12 or more hours before birth 5% of the skin may be sunburnt looking due to peeling of the skin.
• stillborn birth baby died 24 hours before delivery skin looks brown yellow looking
• baby looks puffy hydrops looking feature puffiness red.
• for a baby that passed away in the womb 2 weeks before birth a lot of the water in baby’s whole body will disappear, making baby look more dried out mummified appearance.

can I see an image of a stillborn baby please ?

to respect these babies that sadly passed away you are welcome to see some babies and what their appearance may look like here

stillborn baby photos

 

Tiny babies born stillborn at 23 weeks and less miscarriage looks like..

if mum as a miscarriage here is what you can expect to see with the fetus / baby and tissue .

• 0-6 weeks miscarriage clots of blood red tissue, red blood may see sac with tiny fetus inside.
• 8-12 weeks baby can be seen in sac or still attached to sac via umbilical cord, very delicate to be held at this age.blood and tissue from lining of the womb present.
• 14-16 baby fits inside the palm of your hand deep pink or red looking skin colour.very fragile to hold bones very tender to the touch.baby can be dressed in a hat and settled into a fetal demise pouch for comfort and funeral service.may feel slippery.
• 18 weeks gestation miscarriage baby is approx as long as your hand baby can wear a gown and hat due to being fragile in weight for the bereavement service.
• 20-24 weeks gestation baby not as wet to the touch. can be dressed in a full outfit such as babygrow hat and mittens.

what is a stillborn indepth

 

STILLBORN AND CAUSES IN PREGNANCY

What is stillborn?

The medical definition of stillbirth is the birth of a baby who is born without any signs of life at or after 24 weeks of pregnancy. The baby may have died during pregnancy (called intrauterine death), labor or birth. Stillbirth is uncommon.

Question would you recomend looking at a stillborn baby  after delivery?

Im scared to look at my baby an ultra sound scan as determined my baby has no heart beat. The hospital have told me i have to deliver my baby stillborn. Should i just let the funeral director take her away ? Im dreading it .  Answer You may regret not seeing her that emotionally could only effect you weeks later. spend quality time after birth with her. To say your goodbyes.You cannot get this time back . So make sure your have family around you when you finally have her. Its so important to have support. They could hold your hand. be there for you at your time in need ,that you need them most. With the support around you they could always take the baby from  you to wash and dress her if it feels too much. rather than never seeing her little hands ,therefore making precious memories with her together, before shes gone forever.

When a baby dies before delivery, many people commonly think of miscarriage. Both stillbirth and miscarriage are types of pregnancy loss, but they differ by when the loss occurs. A miscarriage (sometimes called a spontaneous abortion) is when a baby dies before the 20th week of pregnancy. Stillbirth is the death of a baby after the 20th week of pregnancy but before delivery. Whenever parents deal with the death of their baby, whether it be early in pregnancy, late in pregnancy, or sometime after birth, there can be a great sense of disappointment, loss, and suffering.

Stillbirth and miscarriage are separately defined not because one or the other is an easier or more difficult loss with which to deal, but because they differ in many ways. Stillbirth and miscarriage have different causes, need different evaluations, and differ medically and in the ways that parents and families can best be helped.

Stillbirth is common. It may affect anyone. There is no way to predict when stillbirth will happen or who will experience it. Stillbirth occurs in families of all races, religions, and income levels. Each year in the United States about 25,000 babies, or 68 babies every day, are born still. This is about 1 stillbirth in every 115 births. Most often a stillbirth is detected while the baby is in the mother’s uterus, sometimes not until labor is underway.

What are the causes of stillbirth in pregnancy?

What causes stillbirth?

While the cause of around 30% of stillbirths is unknown, there are some conditions that can lead to a baby being born sleeping.

Problems with the placenta, which nourishes your baby throughout your pregnancy, can lead to a stillbirth in about two-thirds of cases. In a placental abruption, the placenta separates too soon from the uterine wall.

However, we do know of some factors that may lead to stillbirth:

• A problem with the umbilical cord, which attaches the placenta to the baby’s tummy button. This could cause the cord to slip down through the entrance of the womb before the baby is born (cord prolapse), or become wrapped around the baby and knotted.
• Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) or obstetric cholestasis – a liver disorder during pregnancy characterized by severe itching.
• Pre-eclampsia – a condition that causes high blood pressure in the mother.
• Environmental factors – such as exposure to pesticides or carbon monoxide.
• A problem with the way the baby is born. A baby’s shoulders may get stuck as he leaves the birth canal (shoulder dystocia), severely reducing oxygen flow to him.
• Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) – this means that the fetus grows too slowly, putting the fetus at risk of dying from lack of nutrition.
• Infections in the mother that also infects the baby – this could be: rubella, the flu, group B streptococcus, herpes, chlamydia, Lyme disease, Klebsiella, Enterococcus, Haemophilus influenza, and mycoplasma or Ureaplasma. According to the NHS, around one in 10 stillbirths are caused by an infection.

SOURCES

 

https://www.sayinggoodbye.org/information/baby-loss/when-a-baby-is-still-born/

https://closeronline.co.uk/family/news/stillbirth-causes-symptoms-risks-birth-process-explained/